2009-10 Catalog
College of Arts and Sciences
Foreign Language Programs
Professors: Katherine M. Faull (Chair), Susan L. Fischer, Angèle
Kingué, Peter Morris-Keitel (Director, German studies program)
Associate Professors: Philippe Dubois (Director, French and
Francophone studies program), Elaine Hopkins, Renee K.
Gosson, James E. Lavine (Coordinator, linguistics program),
Helen G. Morris-Keitel, Slava I. Yastremski (Director, Russian
studies program)
Assistant Professors: Ghayda Ali (visiting), Imke Brust, Nathalie
Dupont, Bernhard Kuhn (Coordinator, Italian studies program),
Ludmila S. Lavine, Heidi Lorimor, Stéphanie Perrais (visiting),
Lisa Perrone, Allison Stedman, John E. Westbrook
Learning a foreign language contributes to a liberal education
by providing performative exercises in cultural practices and linguistic concepts that open up new perspectives on what it means
to be human. Furthermore, foreign-language courses allow access
to world views expressed in the target language on their own
linguistic and cultural terms, thus also making possible a more
profound reflection on one’s own source language and culture.
The department of foreign language programs’ offerings at all
levels investigate and analyze important interconnections
between the histories, society, cultures, and languages among the
people that speak French, German, Russian, Italian, and Arabic,
as well as offering students an introduction to American Sign
Language and Deaf Culture. The curricula within the department
of foreign language programs assert the importance of attaining
fluency not only in the target language but also in the nuances of
interpreting the target language’s literatures and other modes of
cultural production.
The goal of the department of foreign languages programs is to
allow students to achieve competency and literacy in the target
language in order to employ that target language in a range of
intellectual and professional contexts. The department’s mission
is firmly supported by the study of current thinking in linguistics
where language is analyzed as a phenomenon in itself. Courses
in linguistics link the study of human language to the cognitive
underpinning of language acquisition and production in both
the source and target cultures.
The department offers courses in five modern languages, in
American sign language, and in linguistics. Language courses are
regularly offered in Arabic, French, German, Italian, and Russian,
and on occasion, other Slavic languages.
Coursework in all the programs is designed to promote a level
of language proficiency and cultural understanding that will
enable students to be active participants in a shrinking multicultural world. Each program’s curriculum features a sequence
of courses focusing on the development of language skills, at the
lower level, followed by a transition to upper-level courses that
focus on the appreciation and critical analysis of a wide variety
of literary and cultural works. As the Goals 2000 document of
the National Standards in Foreign Language Education states:
“Knowing another language system, another culture, and
communication strategies, enables students to access new
information and knowledge, develop insight into their own
language and culture, and participate in multilingual communities and a global society.”
Students are strongly encouraged to continue or begin the study
of the language(s)/culture(s) of their choice as early in their
undergraduate career as possible. Doing so will ensure the possibility of completing a major or minor in the language and will
open the door to many stimulating study abroad programs.
Many students find that the study of other languages and cultures
provides a good background for work in other disciplines. In
addition, by working to an advanced level of language proficiency and cultural awareness, students may improve their
chances for a Fulbright or other international fellowships after
graduation.
Placement: French and German: First-year students with prior
instruction or background in French and/or German should take
the on-line placement examination before arriving at Bucknell
regardless of whether they have taken the AP exam or the SAT II.
Information on accessing this exam is included in the first-year
student registration materials. Any questions regarding placement should be directed to the program directors.
Italian and Russian: First-year students with prior instruction or
background in Italian or Russian should contact the program
coordinator (Italian) or the program director (Russian) to
consult about the appropriate placement level.
World Literature (in English): ; EAST 211 Premodern Japanese
Literature in Translation; EAST 212 Modern Japanese Literature
in Translation; EAST 213 Traditional Chinese Literature in
Translation; RUSS 211 Chekhov: Drama in Prose; RUSS 250 Of
Crime and Punishment: 19th-Century Russian Literature; RUSS
255 The Politics of Writing: 20th-Century Russian Literature;
RUSS 325 Dostoevsky and Tolstoy: Literary Philosophy; SPAN
250 Hispanic Literature in Translation. For descriptions, see the
respective programs of the department of foreign language programs and of East Asian studies.
Italian Studies Program (ITAL)
Italian Studies Minor
Coordinator: Bernhard Kuhn
The Italian studies minor includes the acquisition of the linguistic and cultural skills necessary to communicate on a basic
level as well as content courses in Italian or English on various
continued
To view the entire Bucknell University catalog, see www.bucknell.edu/catalog.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAMS, ITALIAN STUDIES
BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY • 2
• Such courses would include: ART 102 World Art II:
Renaissance to Enlightenment, ART 319/320 Special Studies
in Art (when half of the content is Italian), IREL 218
International Relations of Europe (with permission of
instructor and of the director of the Italian studies
program), MUSC 229 Opera and Ideas, POLS 223 European
Politics (with permission of the instructor and the director
of the Italian studies program).
aspects of Italian culture including, but not limited to, art,
music, literature, film, history, political science, and economics. The minor is intended to offer students access to a culture
vital to the development of the fine arts in the Western world
and to add a new dimension to discussions about a rapidly
changing Europe.
Residence abroad is the best way to gain proficiency in the
language and knowledge of the culture. A semester abroad in
Italy is strongly recommended and a variety of opportunities are
available to students through the Office of International
Education. Students wishing to study in Italy are encouraged to
contact the coordinator of the Italian studies minor as early as
possible in order to discuss the various options.
For further information regarding the minor, contact Bernhard
Kuhn, coordinator.
101. Elementary Italian I (I and II; 4, 0)
Beginning language skills, practice hearing, speaking, reading,
and writing; elementary grammar; and introduction to Italian
culture.
The minor in Italian study consists of a minimum of five course
credits. Elementary Italian language courses, ITAL 101 and ITAL
102 (or their equivalent), are required for the minor. The
remaining three credits can be fulfilled according to the following options:
102. Elementary Italian II (I or II; 4, 0)
Continuation of language skills. Practice in hearing,
speaking, reading, and writing. Introduction to Italian culture.
Prerequisite: ITAL 101 or equivalent.
1. Those students spending a semester in Italy can count two of
the courses taken there towards their minor (or three, if they
spend a year), after consultation with and approval of the
coordinator of the Italian studies minor.
103. Intermediate Italian I (I; 4, 0)
Review and expansion of language skills and cultural knowledge of Italy. Prerequisite: ITAL 102 or equivalent.
104. Intermediate Italian II: Italian Civilization (II; 4, 0)
Continuing review of grammar emphasizing all four skills. Focus
on civilization. Prerequisite: ITAL 103 or equivalent.
2. Students also may choose courses from a list of courses taught
at Bucknell whose content focuses on Italian language, culture,
or history. Only one course in Latin or classics may count
toward the minor.
201 and 202. Intermediate Italian Conversation II (I and II; R;
2, 0) Half course.
Concentration on development of speaking skills. Conducted in
Italian by native speakers. Intended for students enrolled in 200level courses. Each course can be counted only once toward the
minor. Prerequisite or corequisite: ITAL 104 or equivalent.
• Italian courses offered by the department of foreign language
programs when staffing allows: ITAL 103 Intermediate
Italian I, ITAL 104 Intermediate Italian II, ITAL 201-202
Intermediate Italian Conversation (half course, can each be
counted only once toward the minor), ITAL 205 Discovering
Italy, ITAL 250 Introduction to Italian Cinema, ITAL 295
Topics in Italian Studies, ITAL 390 Independent Study (half
to full course).
• Courses offered by other programs/departments: ART 271
Italian Renaissance Art, ART 319/320 Special Studies in Art
(when the topic is Italian art), ART 370 Kress Paintings
Seminar, CLAS 132 Roman Civilization, CLAS 236 Age of
Augustus, CLAS 243 Archaeology of Rome, HUMN 310
Dante and Milton, LATN 101 Introduction to Latin I, LATN
102 Introductory Latin II, MUSC 222 Baroque Music,
MUSC 267 Topics in Music History (Puccini).
3. Students also may choose courses in which half the content
is Italian, such as a course on Italian and Flemish Baroque art,
or one on Verdi and Wagner. In such a case, a half-credit toward
the minor would be granted (i.e., two such courses would
equal one Italian credit). In this case, any choices that students
make as to field of personal research (such as for a term
paper) will of course focus on the Italian part of the course.
No more than one credit towards the Italian studies minor
can be accumulated in this manner.
205. Discovering Italy (I; R: 3, 0)
Introduction to Italian culture. Intensive practice in speaking
and writing Italian. Prerequisite: ITAL 104 or equivalent.
230. Introduction to Italian Literature (II; 3, 0)
Examination of the major literary genres. Focus on developing
a critical approach to the reading of texts. Prerequisite or
corequisite: ITAL 104 or equivalent.
250. Introduction to Italian Cinema (II; 3, 3)
Survey of Italian cinema from the silent era to the present.
Discussion of major Italian cinematic movements and genres
within the context of history, politics, and culture.
295. Topics in Italian Studies (II; 3, 0)
Study of topics in Italian culture, literature, and/or civilization.
Prerequisite: ITAL 101 or equivalent.
390. Independent Study (I or II; R) Half to full course.
Subject to be selected by student in consultation with the
instructor. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
Visit the Italian Studies program department website at www.bucknell.edu/Italian
BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY, LEWISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA 17837
04/09